Rats. Yuck. You hate them, and for good reason. Rats are one of the most detested rodents, and they’re a serious structural pest. They can be a real nightmare when they are in your home. Because of the many dangers they pose, from carrying disease to chewing on electrical wires and causing a fire hazard to carrying insect parasites like fleas, getting rid of them should be a top priority – especially if you have children. Here’s how to prevent them from becoming unwelcome house guests.

Clean Your Crawl Space

Rats love crawlspaces. Attics are fun places for these rodents to hang out, run around, and play hide-and-go-seek with you. It’s also a cool place to chew on wires that lead to critical systems in your home. Since attics typically have insulation in them, this could pose a fire hazard, especially if your home uses old blown insulation or is really dusty. Clean up your crawlspace, remove anything that might attract rats, and get rid of anything that they could hide in (like open empty boxes).

Check All Entryways and Door Seals

Rats can wonder in off the street if they’re cold or they get hungry. Where will they come in? Through the front door, the garage door, or any other opening in your home. Windows that aren’t properly sealed, garage doors with bad bulb seals, entrances that aren’t properly sealed, doggie doors, and other open holes in your home are all invitations for rats. Seal these up.

Cover Holes and Gaps in Drywall

It’s common for drywall to have holes in it, especially if it’s an older home. Whether it was an accident, or whether it’s a hole that resulted from normal construction processes (i.e. installing light fixtures or electrical outlets), plug them up. Now’s the perfect time to do it. It will prevent rats from climbing through, and it will give your wall the finished look it always deserved but never got.

Cover Ventilation Holes

Cover ventilation holes with fine mesh wire. Obviously, you don’t want to obstruct airflow, so mesh is a requirement here. It should be something thick enough that rats can’t chew through, but porous enough that it won’t restrict airflow.

Keep Bushes Away From Your Home

Bushes are favourite hiding spots for your furry friends. Moving bushes several feet away from the home will discourage them from making homes outside near your home. If you want to really decrease the odds of rats staging a coup, eliminate the bushes altogether. Consider putting them down by the roadside.

Don’t Leave Food Lying Around

Leaving food out for rats is a sure-fire way to attract them. Cheese is an obvious favourite, but rats will eat pretty much anything animal-based. Take out your garbage on a regular basis, and keep your kitchen spotless.

Keep Your Yard and Alleyway Clean

A clean home includes keeping a clean yard and alleyway. Rats love garbage, and anything that they can root through will encourage them to stick around to find more opportunities for food and warm shelter. If you normally keep your garbage near your home, consider a dedicated shed or some other place for it.

Don’t Compost Animal Products

Composting is becoming very popular. It makes great topsoil, but it also could attract rodents. Don’t use animal products in your composting. Instead, stick to vegetable matter and other organic stuff that can be easily broken down, but that won’t attract rats.

Riley Foster is a pest control consultant with a penchant for rat infestations. His articles appear on homeowner blogs where he shares his expertise. Visit the http://www.PestExterminator.com website for more pest control ideas and information.